Paige: Fox, Elway, Manning seek Elway-like exit

“I’m 57, and I don’t want to be coaching forever. I can’t see myself coaching well into my 60s, so this is it.”

There is, though, the other side. If they don’t win a Super Bowl this season or next, or the next, or perhaps the next, this also will [be] their final stop, and a new quarterback, a new coach and a new executive vice president would take over.

But Manning, Elway and Fox strive to ride off together from the Broncos and the NFL as champions.

It's not clear if Woody's suggesting any of the Elway/Fox/Manning triumverate would consider retirement if the Broncos were to win this year's Super Bowl. Rather, it reads likes a vague prediction that he'll later spin as proof of his own genius reporting. Either way, let's hope they're presented with that dilemma in a few months' time.

Doug is IAOFM’s resident newsman and spelling czar. Follow him on Twitter @IAOFM

Kuper limited in practice for Denver; Gronkowski, Hernandez, Edelman sit out for Pats; Hochuli on SI cover; Chiefs place Boss on IR

Someone once referred to him as that grumpy old uncle that you still invite for Thankgiving because he sometimes says amusing things. I read him because he makes me laugh.

Posted by iamafreeman on 2012-12-03 18:47:26

He's really become an idiot. I haven't read his column for months now, but just looking at the headlines will tell you something - one week he says the Broncos don't have the "horses" to compete, then three weeks later he makes them favorites to get to the Super Bowl. I'll never read anything he writes, and that goes for Kizla, too.

The DP sports page is hack city at the moment.

Posted by billyricky on 2012-12-03 16:42:55

I think Woody is sort of extrapolating some artistic license here. Peyton has a 3-4 year contract. Fox says flat out he will retire when he's no longer coaching the Broncos. And Elway himself said that he isn't sure what his long-term plans are -- I think he said something like "3 years and we'll see where it goes." So while Woody may not be making stuff up this time, I do hope the riding off into the sunset thing is many years in the future for Elway.

Posted by DCJ1 on 2012-12-03 15:56:04

The Broncos are my last stop as a fan. Someone needs to write a story about me. I'll even take my shirt off....

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-03 15:06:51

I don't want to hear about anybody riding off into the sunset just yet. The sun is just coming up around here.

Posted by Alaskan on 2012-12-03 14:54:24

I know Woody knows these guys and I understand Kennedy played, but I think this talk about "goin out on top" is ridiculous and completely out of character for Elway and Manning both. The only reason Elway "went out on top" was because his body was SHOT. I believe he still holds the record for having been sacked the most in his career. He stated as much in his retirement press conf. If he could've, he would've. Manning too. Really? He's gonna stop at one if they win this year? C'mon, if they win it, he's gonna want at least one more. In fact, that's what this whole experiment is about with him: winning Super BowlS (plural, just like they said the day they introduced Manning as a Bronco). He's staying really clean this year, the guys in front of him and the main guys he's throwing to are just entering their prime. It would be a major head-scratcher if these guys decided to "quit while they're ahead."

Posted by pubkeeper on 2012-12-03 14:02:26

Paige is a tool. I used to enjoy reading him. That's no longer the case.

Posted by Chad Jensen on 2012-12-03 13:45:34

seems odd for Elway to pull the pin after getting a good start. Woody seems to be reaching on some of this. I think he probably heard Lincoln Kennedy talking about Peyton maybe calling it a career if the Broncos win the Superbowl this year, last week on the fan 104.3

Posted by akatom3565 on 2012-12-03 13:45:31

Manning only has a couple or three years left, and I can see Fox hanging it up as a head coach in his early 60s, but I hope Elway keeps doing what he's dong for another decade or more.